Padlock.



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PADLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- H), 1915.

1,172,970. Patented Feb. 1916.

awe/whoa CHARLES W. FOWLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PADLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed September 10, 1915. Serial No. 50,011.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLns W. FOWLER, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Padlocks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in padlocks, and the object of the invention is to provide a lock of this character wherein the employment of a key for securing or releasing the shackle will be entirely dispensed with.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will embody the desirable features of simplicity in construction, cheapness of manufacture, and efficiency and accuracy in operation.

WVith the above objects in view, and others which will appear as the nature of the invention is more fully understood, the improvement resides in the construction and combination of parts set forth within the following description and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a padlock constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view of one of the side plates with the body of the lock removed, the bail or shackle being closed and locked; Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the arrangement of the parts when the lock has been inclined to permit of the tumbler gravitating awayfrom engagement with the shackle; and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the bail or hasp in its open position.

The body of my improved lock is indicated by the numeral 1 and is normally closed by a plate 2 which is secured thereon inany desired or preferred manner. The body 1 as well as the plate 2 comprises peripherally rounded elements which are formed with central depressions at the portion thereof through which the shackle passes. The body 1 is provided with a circular groove 3 arranged adjacent one of its edges and is further provided with a socket 4 disposed circumferentially of' the groove 3.

The numeral 5 designates a. slot within which is received a ball 7 and the slot 5, it

will be noted, is arranged approximately centrally between the entrance and the terminal of the groove 3 and radially of the body 1. The groove 3 is adapted to receive a. round shackle 8, the same being of a sufficient length to have one of its ends received within the socket 4 and to contact with the end wall thereof when the said shackle is in its locked position and to also contact with the end wall of the passage 3 when the bail is in its unlocked position. The shackle is provided with an offset or radially extending handle 9. The body 1 is provided with a slot 10, the end walls of which are so spaced as to limit the sliding movement of the shackle by contact with the said handle 9. The shackle is provided with a substantially semi-cylindrical depression 14: which alines with the slot 5 when the shackle is swung to its closed position, and it will be noted that when the lock is in a normal vertical position the ball 7 will gravitate in its slot or passage 5 and engage within the depression 14: in the shackle 8.

To unlock the shackle the lock is inclined to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, when the ball will slide through its passage out of engagement with the de pression in the bail 8, permitting the unlock ing of the shackle.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is though that the construction and operation of my lock will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains without further detailed description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a padlock, a slidable shackle having its major portion received in the body of the look, a gravity pawl adapted to coact with the shackle and retain the same in locked position when the lock is sustained in its normal vertical position.

2. In a padlock, a body having a circular groove, a round shackle having its major portion received within the groove and one of its ends received in a socket in the body, when the said shackle is in locked position, the body having a radially arranged slot communicating with its passage, a ball in In testimony whereofI aflix my signature the slot, the shackle having a senii-cylindriin presence of two Witnesses. V cal depression registering with the slot when CHARLES W FOWLER the said shackle is in locked position, said 5 depression adapted to partly receive a hall, Witnesses: V c i and a handle for the shackle projecting HENRY SAHLER, through an elongated slot in the body. MICHAEL F. CURE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

